In the 1940s, the first African American women entered NACA's “computing pools." Some later became managers or engineers at NASA, and all made crucial — but often little-known — contributions to the math that put Americans in space.

In the 1940s, the first African American women entered NACA's “computing pools." Some later became managers or engineers at NASA, and all made crucial — but often little-known — contributions to the math that put Americans in space.